Vault-door stopper lock



Sept. 28,1926. 1mm. O. A. JACOBSON VAULT DOOR STOPPER LOCK Filed Feb. 12/1926 Fig.1

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Patented Sept. 28, i925.

CL A. JAOGBSON, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN,

FATENT ASSIGNOR TO THE AUTOIIIATIC GUARD END SIGNAL CORPORATION, OF GBAEJID RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, A CORPORA- TION O1 llTICI-IIGAN.

VAULT-DOOR- STGPPER LOCK. 2;

Application filed February 12, 1926. Serial No. 87,824.

This invention relates to ameans for preventing a door from being closed and is especially intended for bank vault doors for locking the vault door open, in case of robbery during working hours, so that the bank employees can not be locked in the vault.

The door stopperof the customary form and appearance is utilized with electrically operated means incorporated therein and the mechanism adapted thereto, so that the door cannot be released after the alarm system has been actuated.

An illustrative embodiment of this invenion is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional view of the device taken on the line 11 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 01'' Fig. 1.

nip. 3 is a detail view of the catch lever and stop plunger attached thereto.

In the form shown, the foot plunger is slotted and a spring inserted between the plunger and the lever so that the loot plunger may work in .the usual manner when the latch lever is locked from moving; then a stop plunger is movably attached to the latch lever with a sprin inserted between the two; and a solenoid is mounted in the door stop housing with the plunger normal to the stop plunger, so that when the solenoid is properly energized by the alarm circuit, the solenoid plunger is moved under the stop plunger and holds the same from moving downward.

The construction and operation in detail is as follows:

The lower end 1 of the vault door is shown in Figure 1 as moving towards the left in opening, and towards the right in closing, and is shown as latched open.

The door stopper 2 is of the same outward appearance as the ordinary stopper and has the base 3, secured to the floor, and a cover 4 secured over the base. The base comprises bottom plate 5 and integral upstanding end portions 6 and 7. The cover atlits over and entirely encloses the base and has a front wall 8 inset from the end and abutting against the bracket portion 7 The rubber butler 9 may be attached either to the stopper or to the door 1 and serves to cushion the door against the wall 8, and the wall and the upper end of the brace 7 are slotted at 10 to admit the notched which is lined to the door 1.

The latch bar or lever 12 is pivoted in the rear bracket 6 and is provided with a spring 13, inserted between the notch 1 1 and the bracket, lor'pressing the lever 1-2 upwardly. When the door 1 is free from the stopper 2, the upper position of the latch lever 12 is determined by the rear corner 15 of the lever striking against the wall of the bracket 6. AS the door swings against the stopper, the rammed end 16 of the latch 11 engages the inclined surface 1'? on the end of the lever 12 andthe end of the lever is forcec dowir \vardly against the action of the spring 18 until the notches in the members 11 and 12 register and the lever 12 snaps into engage ment with the latch 11. i

The construction so far described is substantially the same as the construction which is commonly used. Atoot plunger 18 of the same appearance "as the ordinary plunger movabl -g mounted in the cov r member The plunger is slotted at 19 and a spring 20 is inserted between the upper surface of the lever 12 and the plunger 18. The spring 20 is contained within and seats in the bottom of the bore 21 in the member 18, so that when the lever 12 is held from moving, the plunger may be depressed and apparently operates in the usual manner.

For locking the lever, the lock is movably attached to the lever 12 by means of the pin 23 fixed in the lever 12 and engaging in slots 24- in the plunger 22. The plunger is hollow and contains a spring 25 which seats in the plunger and bears against the lower edge of the lever 12. The plunger 22 is slidable in the bore 26 provided in the core piece 27 of the solenoid 28. The solenoid is fixedly mounted in the base 3 and the solenoid plunger 29 is movable in normal relation to the lock plunger 22. The end 30 of the solenoid plunger is reduced and operates through an aperture 31 in the side wall of the bore 26. The solenoid winding is divided into two parts, 32 and 33. lVhen the winding 32 is energized, the plunger is drawn to the right, in Figure 1, and the end 30 projects underneath the plunger 22 and stops the same from moving downwardly.

l/Vhen the solenoid plunger is in the position just described, the foot plunger 18 is latch 11 plunger 22 prevented from moving the lever 12 downwardly to disengage the latch 11. The spring resists the pressure of the spring 20 and is also on a considerably longer lever arm; therefore, the pressure of the spring 20 is not sun'ficient to overcome the pressure of the spring 25 to move the lever 12, but the plunger 18 may be moved idly up anddown.

Also, it the door is opened with the plunger 22 locked, then spring 25 and the slot 21 will allow sutlcient relative movement between the lever 12 and the plunger 22, so that the door latch 11 may cam the end of the lever 12 downwardly to allow the notches to engage.

The winding 82 is placed in the alarm circuit. lVhen the alarm circuit is energized, the vault door will belocked open, and for releasing the door, the winding 38, which functions to withdraw or restore the plunger 29, is energized from the master control circuit which is supplied to restore safety devices to normal position.

The objects of the invention are accomplished in a very simple manner by the construction shown and described, but it is considered that the same is capable of many alterations and omissions without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. In combination in a bank vault door stopper, a latch for holding the door, a member yieldably connected to the latch for disengaging the same from the door, and electrical means for preventing said latch from being released.

2. In combination, a vault door, a latch fixed on said door, a door stopper, a spring pressed lever pivotally mounted in said stopper for engaging said latch, vieldable means for releasing the lever, and electrically controlled means for preventing said means from releasing the lever. 7

3. In combination, a vault door, a latch fixed on said door, a door stopper, a spring pressed lever pivotally mounted in said stopper for engaging said latch, a plunger for moving said lever to release the latch, a resilient connection between the plunger and the lever, and electrically controlled me, for resisting the movement of the lever when the plunger is operated.

4. In combination with a movable vault door, a latch fixed to said door. a fixedly mounted housing, a spring pressed lever pivotally mounted in the housing for engag ng said latch, a footoperated plunger nuilvablv mounted in the housing, a spring between the plunger and the housii g, a lever stop plunger movably suspended from the lever. a spring between the second mentioned plunger and lever, an electrically operated stop for the second plunger, the pressure of the second mentioned spring being opposed to the pressure of the first mentioned spring.

In combination with a vault door means for holding the door in open position, a movable member tor releasing said means, member being resiliently attached to means so that the normal movement ot said member is permitted at all times. and electrically operated means for preventing the said means from releasing the door.

Signed at Grand Rapids, this 6th day 0 February, 1926.

OLE A. JACOBS X.

All 

